To wonder what the Masons actually do?

[Usererror1999]

I hear various ideas from “they go for piss ups and fancy dinners” to “ they are a shadowy organisation with bloodthirsty rituals”

but what, do they actually get up to? Anyone know?

The showing of the 'Breast ' is to prove a Mason isn't female?!

So why are male appendaged persons allowed in women's spaces? 🤔

It seems to be a 'Men's club' where vast amounts of funds are raised for charities.

Basically an association for nonces

if a relation of mine was involved I’d be asking a lot of questions

my grandpa is a very successful businessman and has been asked
to get involved many times from the 60s onwards he has always said no, said he’s not want to be associated with it

those who have sons etc involved for ‘social reasons’ - do they not have normal friends from school/work, can they not play a sport or make friends another way? It’s a strange way to make friend IMO

When my son was in hospital years ago with a broken arm, he got supplied with a teddy from the hospital which was labelled from the Masons.

Does seem to be a good club to be in for the Members.
But how does one join?
Does one need an 'Intro'?
I had an Uncle by Marriage who was a Mason, and Dad used to make comments about ritual handshakes, the trouser leg rolled up &c,

Man starts out as a rough hewn stone, and is shaped into a ''Fine ashlar'' from the Masonic teachings?
Masonic symbols are the Square and dividers, used still in building trades.

Seems harmless enough..{Allegations of abuse apart, of course}

I know someone who is a freemason. The charity stuff is overstated, unless you count the charity that the freemasons give to each other - they do step in financially to help fellow masons.

Charity work
Welfare of members and their families.
Sharing employment opportunities
Christmas parties, the best in town, for members' children. I still remember them.

Who controls the British crown?
Who keeps the metric system down?
We do, we do

I had a uncle that was in the masons and it was all very hush hush but I remember going to Jersey for a very posh meal , 40 ish years ago , lobster , caviar, crab , olives , advacado pear ( very rare ) and lots of other fancy food.

Many many years later when working at a large university I worked in a small uni bar which was somewhat hidden away .
And manly used by lecturers and masters.
Every now and then a regular would bring a guest in and introduce them to a prearranged third party , it took me a long while to realise the guest was a Mason snd the prearranged person was been ( unaware) they were been interviewed.
The regular and interviewer were both masons and the person been interved never was .
At first I thought it was all a bit seedy but after about 6 months I realised they interviewed the person to see if they had potential in their feild.
If they did and were not 'rich' they would financially, and mentally support that person right the way through their uni years and help them get a job in the field they had studied in.
I know a lot that would not have got as far as they feild without the backing of the masons .
If that person did not put 100% into their studying, or dropped out ( unless it was critical) the masons withdrew their support so it was not a free ride by any means.
How ever I remember one student who lost brother in a despicable way and really struggled, the Mason sponsoring him helped towards the funeral cost, paid for counciling and put the young lad back through his education .
Without their help there is absolutely no way this lad would of got through his education, in fact i am not sure that he would of got through day to day life.

Without a doubt I think they saved his life .

Yes, lots of networking. My dh has been asked to join through friends/contacts but he’s not interested. I found the dinners formal and the wives were Stepford types and in a clique. The call each other brethren and yes, the do collect lots for charity.
My wedding venue was a Masonic Lodge, it generated lots of business for them and they were keen for repeat business. Unfortunately they couldn’t find anyone to do it again, weird as I planned the whole thing myself.
I do think they’d cover for each other.

What most men are in it for these days is networking and socialising. The long and boring words are the point but most people can’t be arsed with it. It’s not a secret incantation. Like a long old play, you’ve got to find a way “in” if you’re going to remember it all and then spout it all out. You realise that what it’s telling you is how to respect and behave towards others. And then you have to practice your public speaking. It’s not as ancient as it likes to think it is, but what it was designed to do back in the day was help men develop as human beings. It’s old fashioned and many of its members let it down but it’s fundamental premise is the opposite of what many people assume.

What a heartening story, @DeanStockwooooo.
I think a lot of misassumptions can be made when a situation is not fully understood.

Well a "situation" which is purposely kept secret isn't likely to be understood, is it?

When people talk about their charity work, what do they mean? Do members have to donate? Do they get their business contacts to? Is it just a handy cover up line?

The charity stuff is indeed overstated in the sense that it is too easily trotted out as a simple and positive “angle”.

But it was and maybe still is second only to the National Lottery as a distributor of charity / donated funds in the UK and that doesn’t all go to Freemasons.

Well a "situation" which is purposely kept secret isn't likely to be understood, is it?

Why does everyone have to understand? It's none of everyones business. They're doing their own thing in private with their incantations and rolled up trouser leg and others are jumping to conclusions.

@audeloquipalam I think you’re right, the masons are the uks second biggest charitable distributor.
My father was a mason, low down the ranks and, I suspect, more in for the meal and a pint afterwards. However when he was ill and dying, his masonic pals were the ones who rallied round and also made sure my mother was looked after. More so than a great number of their friends did. I am very thankful for that.

I do hate it being compared to scouts - scouts for grown ups is bandied around a lot - as a guider I think it’s insulting to youth organisations.
My father used to call it his boys club, when I used to ask about the “secrets” he used to laugh at me and say “keep yer neb out, I daint ask you about your guides or yer Ma about WI do I!” And then latterly, “it’s all on that internet pet, you choose what you thinks real.”

I bet his briefcase is still at my mothers. Knowing father there’s probably a half eaten packet of jelly babies in there as he used to carry them everywhere for his diabetes.
Thanks for this post OP. I’d not thought of my father and buys club in a long time.

Networking, piss ups, charity events, evenings away from the wife and home responsibilities

They run homes for older/ infirm people. My grandmother lived in one for the last years of her life. We expected her to be there for a few final months, but it perked her up hugely.
It was much more affordable than the bestest alternative. If had the air of a slightly faded guest house, but was very clean and the care was excellent.
If you go to the Masonic temple in central London, you can find people to take you on a tour and tell you a great deal.
My DSD is a mason and my DM has been a pains to tell me where his coin is, in case they ever need help and can’t do it on their own. Once a mason, always a mason (unless you have to leave) and they offer support to those in need.

Back before I met DH I used to go out with a Jehovah’s Witness bloke (long, messy story!) and he HATED them. I mentioned once in casual conversation that my dad’s mate was one and my boyfriend went visibly cold. JW’s and other religious folk believe they are Satan Worshippers.

Respect for women in the person of a wife or a daughter. It’s in the words and in my and apparently your experience it’s in the the practice as well. Might not be everyone’s experience admittedly and/or some may find it a bit patronising but as an organisation misogynistic it isn’t.

🤣🤣🤣the imagery!

They require you to believe but the choice of deity is entirely up to the individual. I’m not sure what they’d do if you told them you were in league with the Anti Christ.

They have a weird handshake are are weird duckers that's wear aprons!

Masons are cool. they do alot of charity work. They also have a womans group Jobes daughters. There ceremony's are lots of memorization, singing ect. but really its just a bunch of wholesome girls having good clean fun (my friend was a jobes daughter and I tagged along to alot of there outings)

As a kid, I was around slightly fanatical Masons, and vastly preferred those men who ran a mile at the prospect of being invited.

I strongly agree with pp - the charity angle is vastly overhyped, although obv it varies from lodge to lodge.

I still have family members who are Masons. I'm enormously distrustful of it. The 'respecting women and girls' stuff is a bunch of performative toss as well.